It's been fascinating to see the reaction to Brock Lesnar becoming the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion by defeating Frank Mir at UFC 100: The response is just about evenly split between those who think Lesnar's larger-than-life persona is great for the sport, and those who think he has tarnished MMA.
Count Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic as part of the latter camp.
Cro Cop, the former Pride star who recently agreed to return to the UFC and fight Junior dos Santos at UFC 103, said in an interview with Index.hr (a web site in his native Croatia) that he thinks Lesnar's victory is a bad thing for mixed martial arts. Here's how Fighters Only translates Cro Cop's comments:
"I must point out that his victory is a defeat for the sport as such. Don't get me wrong, Lesnar is a fearsome and very dangerous opponent, but I am old school, I prefer skill and technique. This win was a defeat of martial skills. Much of what he achieved in the fight is a result of pure power... Of course, Lesnar has quality sparring partners, is an experienced wrestler and a man who learns very quickly. But he is yet to have a real struggle. He does not have many fights in his career and I would love to see how he would react to two or three good low kicks."I agree with Cro Cop in one respect: I would love to see how Lesnar would react totwo or three good low kicks. I question, though, whether Cro Cop is the guy to deliver those low kicks.
Steve Barry at MMA Convert writes that Cro Cop might be the kind of striker who could take Lesnar down, but I just don't see it. Cro Cop is one of the smallest heavyweights in MMA and Lesnar is one of the biggest, and I have a hard time picturing a scenario other than Lesnar getting Cro Cop to the ground and squashing him.
And I also disagree with Cro Cop's notion that Lesnar becoming a champion is somehow bad for martial arts. Most people don't think of wrestling as a martial art, but it absolutely is -- and it's one of the best, most effective martial arts. As a wrestler Lesnar was NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion, and now that he's a mixed martial artist he's the UFC heavyweight champion. That's not bad for martial arts, unless you're under the mistaken impression that martial arts are nothing more than punching and kicking.
Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Cro Cop is absolutely right with his comments about Lesnar and who in the heavyweight division has better leg kicks than Mirko.
The sport of MMA as a whole would be better of if Lesnar would've stayed in the WWE.
hater
Exactly.
Look, whether you like him or not, he is the UFC champ. I really thought Mir would win. I dont see anyone in the UFC Heavyweight division who can beat him if he keeps fighting like he did against Mir. You have to figure only a few fights into his career he will get better. Was his behavior sportman like afterward, no. Wrestling (not pro wrestling)is a martial art though and he is good at it. Until he loses again, you have to give the man his credit. Not a big fan of his but them man backed up what he said.
haha. @RJ. You are a joke man. This dude wants a piece of action and he will be put in his place by Brock. Only this time, there will be a major tear when that horseshoe comes out! Besides, Dos Santos will send Crocop back to his land. This guy couldn't beat Al Turk without a poke now he is right Lesnar? Get a life RJ and MDS. You both Lesnar haters. You are what's wrong with MMA today. A bunch of holier than thou folks who would never give Brock credit even if he got a Blackbelt in Ju, Karate, and every other martial art.
I'm pretty sure Mike David just disagreed with Cro Cop's words at the end of his article . .
But anyway, Cro Cop is an interesting topic. He's getting older, but he's still a devastating striker. He's been known to stuff takedowns, but if Frank and Randy couldn't keep Brock off, how could he? I really dunno. Of course Cro Cop will have to get by Dos Santos, and then probably Carwin or Velasquez before we'll know. We'll seeee.
john get off Brock's nutz other WWE fans are in line.
Actually Cro Cop was beating Al Turk before the poke in the eye. Makes no difference, its part of the sport and you have to be ready for anything.
totally agree michael david smith on this one. one would have to look at lesnar's own mma background, and in this case, he was a ncaa champ in that regard and many mma greats have had that kind of experience under their belts.
First Cro Cop would throw a kick & Brock would shoot right away at the opening bringing Cro CRAP down & lights out, second Brock is only big due to steriods & please don't dismiss this just type his name & steriod arrest & you'll see he was arrested for them in his past. He will & is killing the UFC. I am a hardcore fan & what I don't want is a circus going crazy in my UFC, it has respect, honor, & great following of fans that don't want this kind of crab going on. Just think of the fans who try telling people watching it for the first time or are talking about it and wondering what is the UFC, is it WWE or like the old UFC or what is it. I want it to become the biggest "SPORT" out there but not this route!!!!! This is just one a-holes opinion!!!!
Brock has passed all his drug tests since arriving in the UFC . . . that's why he's marginally flabby in the waist. Back in WWE he was this gigantic robot, chiseled like a damn Smithsonian. The reason? 'roids. Yes, we know that. But he's pretty legit now.
For the first time since its start, I'm sour on the ufc, because of Lesnar. It's a big step backwards and his after fight display was a real turnoff. Not sure what Dana was thinking.
Cro cop might have a tough time.....but if Lesnar fought Fedor??? It would send the "classless", loser back to where all his matches were scripted again!!!
brock bashers know nothing,
brock lesner is the best thing to happen to mma.
he has single handily created more buzz both mainstream and hardcore alike than anyone on the planet.
and anyone that thinks wrestling is not part of martial arts is just plain ignorant.
i think mds stated it well.
.....now go take the man crush you have on brocky an play with yourself! F A G !
"brock lesner is the best thing to happen to mma.
he has single handily created more buzz both mainstream and hardcore alike than anyone on the planet."
Yeah because the UFC was really struggling for attention before Lesnar came along. He single handedly saved the UFC from bankruptcy. The UFC had buzz before Lesnar and will have it when he is gone. The difference is Lesnar brings negative attention to the sport and the organization. Dana White said so himself. They gift wrapped this meat head the title and gave him his shot early and this is how he repays them? They can snatch that title away as quick as they handed it to him. He needs to learn his place.
Lesnar is the worst thing to happen to the UFC. Now, fighters will think they need to act like huge douchebags to make a name for themselves. It's like a free ticket to be relevant. It sends the wrong message.
SPORTSMANSHIP PEOPLE! It's not if you win or lose but how you HOW you win or lose.
johnny#5, hypocritical as can be. mir won and trashed lesnar for 6 months, hes going to explain to lesnar the intricies if jj and all.. lesnar talked for 30 seconds, the only difference is lesnar did it to his face.
what a bunch of chumps to bag on lesnar after mir was doing the nba trash for 6 months.
cry me a river.
richardbikle
We aren't talking about Mir, though. We are having a conversation about Lesnar. The two aren't mutually exclusive. It isn't one or the other. Besides, hyperbole much? Brock did nothing but talk that junk after that fight and leading up to it saying Mir got lucky and he just pulls submissions out of his arse etc etc.
I don't have a big issue with the pre-fight hype as much as I do the post fight meltdown. You are acting like Lesnar was all innocent and didn't say a thing after that first fight. In fact, you were the same guy making excuses and sensationalist claims and conspiracy theories about the referee in that fight.
Stay on topic. This is a conversation about Lesnar not Mir. Classic misdirection tactic. Like the people saying "BUH BUH BUH YOU DIDN'T SAY WHAT HENDERSON WAS BAD SO YOU IS TEH BIASED." Give me a break. Your argument has more holes than piece of swiss cheese.
You should send Lesnar your resume. You would make a great PR mouthpiece for his reprehensible behavior. Blame everyone except the guy who did it. Crazy.
@richardbikle
Don't know if this will be a double post or not ...
We are having a conversation about Lesnar not Mir. Their behavior is not mutually exclusive. You can talk about one without talking about the other. Besides, it's not as if Lesnar is some innocent victim ... the guy did nothing but talk smack since he got submitted the first time against Mir.
All you have done is make excuses for Lesnars behavior blaming everyone except the guy who did it ... Lesnar himself. There is a big difference in pre fight hype and what Lesnar did after that fight.
The sport doesn't need that type of in your face look at me attention. But, it's not like I expect anything less from the biggest Lesnar apologist on this site. All you do is defend the guy and make excuses for him. Send him your resume because you would make a great mouthpiece for his agenda.
Johnny, you make a good point, their behavior is not mutually exclusive. That is correct. I believe the conversation included what is "good" for the ufc championship, championship behavior, and the lesnar - mir exchange; not just a lesnar bash.
You are right i did say all along that if mir didnt have massagatti in his corner he'd likely have been out the first time. Thats no apology, just a fact. Mir was getting dominated the first time right up to the time massagatti interupted and changed the course of the fight. Its pretty plain to see what happens when a ref doesnt step in and save him.
As for championship behavior, mir was holding a championship title, and he was in lesnar's face pretty good, for a long time. That he had to eat his words with whatever teeth were left... too bad. I'm not making any excuses for lesnar, mir wanted to be in his face and he got it, just didnt turn out like mir wanted it too.
What i am pointing out is how the "arguement" that the same behavior from lesnar is unacceptable was just pre (in reality post) fight hype is bull. There is no arguement about that.
I think the real problem people have is that just being a couch based fan they dont understand wrestling, dont appreciate wrestling, and are basically unhappy a wrestler kicked the jj guys butt.